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Bicyclists pay for roads as taxpayers

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Tuesday April 22, 2014 6:08 AM

I respond to the April 13 letter “Motorists pay for the privilege of using roads” from Sharon
Bobo. She argued that cyclists do not buy a license, a license plate or insurance and so do not
actually have as much right to be on the road as motorists do.

But motorists do not pay for roads through their fees for an operator's license, their
license-plate fees or their insurance. It is taxpayers who pay for the roads. And yes, most
cyclists pay taxes.

Motorists must obtain an operator's license because they are controlling a lethal weapon. They
must obtain license plates so the police can determine who owns these weapons. And they must have
insurance to be able to compensate the people they might hit.

I have never heard of an accident where the cyclist ran over and destroyed a car and killed its
occupants.